Agrium CEO Attacks CF After Buyout Rebuffed

The protracted courtship between fertilizer makers continued Monday, growing ever more hostile.

CF Industries(CF Quote) once again rejected a buyout bid from rival Agrium(AGU Quote) Friday night, which had sweetened its offer to $40 a share in cash from $35, plus one Agrium share. As of Monday afternoon, the deal was worth about $91 a share.

Agrium's president and chief executive, Mike Wilson, issued a statement Monday morning in response to the spurning. "The fact that CF will not engage with us reinforces our belief that, left on its own, CF will not act in the best interests of its stockholders," Wilson said. "It's now up to CF stockholders to protect their own interests by demanding that CF come to the table to negotiate a mutually beneficial merger agreement with Agrium." ...